How long should a 30 liter / 8 gallon spirit run take? How many foreshots to toss? How small collection increments?

[HuckFinn]

Hi everyone,

Thank you in advance for answering all of these questions. I’ve just finished my last stripping run of a batch and am about to an attempt my first spirits run. While I’ve searched and heard a variety of variables, I know one size doesn’t fit all including everything have a bit of a range of potential outcomes.

First, if I have a 30 liter / 8 gallon wash at 40% ABV, it’s shady’s sugarshine wash, how long would a spirits run take? How careful should I be relative to a stripping run on taking my time, especially, so I do not smear? I can run in a pot or as a reflux. My goal is a high proof / neutral (so I think reflux?)

Next, how many foreshots should I throw away if the boiler is at 30 liters / 8 gallons at 40% without any taken off yet?

Lastly, in order to ensure that I don’t accidentally screw things up on my first attempt, how small of increments should I collect the distillate in? 1 liter increments or is that too big?

Thank you! All of this will help me effectively plan.

[Saltbush Bill]

Reflux still is what you need for that job.
The slower you run the better.....the more reflux you run the cleaner the spirit will be.
Wont even guess at how long... that will depend entirely on take off speed.
1 litre jars are way to big.....you will learn a lot more a lot quicker by having a lot of smaller cuts jars.. start off with about 250-300ml cuts.

[SaltyStaves]

You cannot have a 40% ABV wash. Not without super yeast... A wash is what you have in your fermenter. It ceases to be called wash when you strip or spirit run it.
'Low wines' would be the common term around here for the first pass through (strip) and 'spirit' if its a finished product.

[Prairiepiss]

Well first problem you can’t get a high proof grain / neutral from something that doesn’t have grain in it.

[HuckFinn]

Well first problem you can’t get a high proof grain / neutral from something that doesn’t have grain in it.

What about the other parts of the post?

[HuckFinn]

You cannot have a 40% ABV wash. Not without super yeast... A wash is what you have in your fermenter. It ceases to be called wash when you strip or spirit run it.
'Low wines' would be the common term around here for the first pass through (strip) and 'spirit' if its a finished product.

How long should it be expected to do the spirit run? And how small of collection increments should there be?

[Prairiepiss]

It takes as long as it’s going to take. This all depends on your still and heat source. Can’t really give you a better answer without a lot more info.